I’ll never forget my first 50-miler, its amazing views, helpful aid station workers or the final 3-mile uphill slog.
By Henry Howard
The American River 50 proved itself to be an epic race, an ultra where mid-packers and back-of-the-packers can literally line up and run next to well-known ultra runners.
The AR50 was my first 50-miler and one I would recommend to others looking for their firsts finish at that distance. (The event also offers a 25-mile distance.) Continue Reading →
-By Jess Walter
The number of senior citizens running marathons is growing. Some of these runners have been running all their lives and can’t fathom doing anything else. Others have taken up running later in life and have gotten attracted to the health benefits running provides. Either way, there’s no reason you can’t run a marathon in your 60s, 70s, or even older. Continue Reading →
Jason Pina with Angie Spencer at the 2015 Boston Marathon
*Editor’s note: When Angie ran the Boston Marathon in 2015 Jason and his lovely wife Shai hosted us in their home. We also got to meet the fine folks at Tenacity (the charity Jason runs for) who are doing great work for Boston kids! -Trevor
Jason Pina had a secret dream. It was so secret he didn’t even tell his wife, Shai, who he had been with for almost 25 years. When Pina announced his quest — running a marathon — Shai knew that her husband would accomplish it even though he wasn’t a runner and had once weighed 400 pounds. Continue Reading →
A runner is a runner is a runner. In my last post, I talked about how speed doesn’t make the “runner,” the act of running does. That said, there are certain aspects of the sport that are different for us back-of-packers.
Since training runs are generally self-driven, all runners learn to accommodate their specific needs during those runs and it’s only when we have to rely on others that these needs become complicated. This makes race day a tad more interesting to navigate. Continue Reading →
I’ve lost 140 pounds, about half of my body weight. I didn’t have surgery or use medication; I lost the weight the old-fashioned way, through diet and exercise.
I understand that’s not a sexy answer. People want a quick fix, a powder, a plan, something they can purchase with monthly installments and VOILA! Weight loss guaranteed. Still, folks want something to hang their hat on.
“She RUN MARATHONS? Well of course that’s why she lost weight!” is what I often hear.
“Well I could lose weight too if I could RUN A MARATHON!” they continue, followed with all of the excuses of why running is impossible.
This got me thinking . . .
Did I run to lose weight or did I lose weight so I could run? Continue Reading →
The Bel Monte Endurance Races present a challenging, beautiful course for runners. Here are some ways to heal from endurance events with hilly courses.
By Henry Howard
The Bel Monte Endurance Races offer a 25K, 50K and 50-miler for those wanting to explore beautiful mountains in northern Virginia.
But check the fine print — the 50K is a 17-mile out-and-back course, meaning runners will do closer to a 55K by the time they cross the finish line. (The turnaround point for the 50-miler was at 26.2 miles.)
Regardless of the actual length — my watch counted 34.8 miles for the 50K — it’s an epic run with nearly 5,000 feet of elevation change. Such a race means recovery is key, especially when it’s a training run for my first 50-miler three weeks later. Continue Reading →
photo credit: Jenn Shelton @sheltonjenn
She was the gifted, fearless wild child featured in “Born to Run.” Fourteen years later, Shelton still leads a “crazy life,” following her passion in pursuit of the next endurance challenge.
By Henry Howard
Jenn Shelton became well known for her appearance in Christopher McDougall’s best-selling book about ultra running, “Born to Run.” In the years since the book was published, Shelton has matured but still embraces a Bohemian lifestyle as evidenced in the new documentary, “Outside Voices.”
At the end of the documentary, Shelton is in her small van under a moonlight sky. She’s on her cell phone, learning Italian. It concludes, with her repeating a translation, “You do not know who I am.” Continue Reading →
When I started running, I was pretty sure that crossing the 5K off of my bucket list would be enough for me.
I was never athletic, my childhood had been spent tormented because of my lack of athleticism, and my body had never conformed to what I thought an “athlete” needed to look like.
I had plenty of reasons to assume that I could never be a “runner,” and simply huffing and puffing my way through C25K wasn’t enough to break that mental barrier. Continue Reading →
I am writing this while literally 30,000 feet in the air.
It’s been a busy week of travel — Monday and Tuesday in Washington, D.C., then back home for an 11-hour layover (seriously) before flying Wednesday to Las Vegas, where I worked — and exercised — until returning home Friday.
Traveling for work is not unusual for me. As a runner, I have learned how to properly prepare for maintaining my workout schedule whether I am on the island of Puerto Rico, in the mountains of Colorado or in chilly Des Moines in January. (Yes, I have been all of those places in the past year.) Continue Reading →
Longtime MTA member Foti Panagakos enjoys a packed racing season and interacting with fellow members on Facebook.
By Henry Howard
Fotinos “Foti” Panagakos has been regularly running for about eight years. In that time, he has transitioned from 5Ks and a “one and done” marathon to a prolific racer who has finished 38 marathons.
For Panagakos, it’s not the competition that drives him. It’s the thrill of the run.
And it’s also the passion of the running community, which is what keeps him drawn to the Marathon Training Academy crew. Continue Reading →
Tina Muir embraces the high fat/high protein fueling method, while rewarding her sweet tooth with a daily dessert.
By Henry Howard
At age 14, Tina Muir hid in the bathroom as her cross-country team was starting practice. In time she realized that she was not only good at running but actually enjoyed it.
Running is now an integral part of Muir’s life. She’s an elite runner for Saucony, community manager for Runners Connect and hosts her own podcast. (MTA’s Angie Spencer was featured on a previous episode.) Continue Reading →
For runners, the dreaded diagnosis of a stress fracture (particularly in the foot) can result in not being able to train or race.
This causes much disappointment over months of discipline and hard work. Stress fractures are caused by overuse and repetitive activity and are commonly found in runners and athletes who participate in soccer and basketball.
Refraining from running and high impact activities for an adequate period of time is an important aspect to recovering from a stress fracture in the foot. Returning to running too quickly can delay the healing process as well as increase your risk for a complete fracture (which would take even longer to recover from). Continue Reading →
